1. A LETTER OF JOY & CONFLICT
2 CORINTHIANS
A LETTER OF JOY & CONFLICT

2. 2 CORINTHIANS: BACKGROUND
Apparently Paul’s 4th letter to this church
Often called the “most personal” of Paul’s letters b/c he tells more about himself
Probably written from Macedonia (7:5) in A.D , within a few weeks/months after 1 Corinthians
Contains a mixture of joy & personal pain over conflicts & questioning of Paul’s apostleship
Extremely emotional letter; a good reminder of Paul’s humanity

3. OUTLINE OF 2 CORINTHIANS
Chapters 1-7: Reconciliation & Defense of Paul’s Ministry
Chapters 8-9: Participation in Contribution for Jerusalem
Chapters 10-13: Reaction to Opponents at Corinth

4. IMPORTANT THEMES IN 2 Cor.
Paul’s Concept of His Apostolic Ministry (chaps. 1-5)
God’s Comfort in the Midst of Affliction (chap. 1)
Forgiving a Penitent Brother (chap. 2)
The Believer’s Hope for Eternity (chaps. 4-5)
The Meaning of True Repentance (chap. 7)
The Spirit & Motivation for Giving (chaps. 8-9)
Paul’s Suffering as an Apostle (chap. 11)
Power in Weakness (chap. 12)

5. LESSONS FOR TODAY
____________ is sometimes part of following Jesus, but that should not deter us.
Even though our relationships with other believers may be difficult, we shouldn’t _________ _____ on them & should always be ready to ____________.
No matter how much we ___________ in this life, God has a great future for us.
B/c of what Jesus did for us, we have every reason to be ________________ toward others.
If you want to find out how ____________ God is, admit how ___________ you are.

6. 2 CORINTHIANS: KEY VERSES
“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18